VICE President John Nkomo has challenged Zanu-PF to transform itself from a liberation movement to a development-centred party to remain relevant in the country’s body politic.

VP Nkomo said after successfully prosecuting the Third Chimurenga, there was need for the party to pursue a development agenda.

He told Zanu-PF supporters and farmers in the Rarangwe area in Nyajena, Masvingo South at the start of a two-day tour organised by the South Eastern Growers Association in the province last Friday that the peace and tranquility in Zimbabwe provided an opportune time for Zanu-PF to spearhead development.

"We now have peace and tranquility in the country and Zimbabweans should continue to celebrate this peace, unity and tranquility that the founding fathers of this nation worked so hard to bring about.

"However, to Zanu–PF, this is the time for the party to shift from being a liberation movement to a party that is development-oriented if we are to continue being relevant to the needs of our people in the 21st century. We cannot continue being a liberation movement, that time is past us.

"We should now work on what we achieved after the successful execution of the armed struggle to bring majority rule. People yearn for development and that is what we must be synonymous with as a party," he said.

He said it was imperative for all Zimbabweans to optimally work on the land, which came at a price.

VP Nkomo said the Zanu-PF leadership under President Mugabe had fulfilled its pre-independence era pledge to redistribute land.

US$30 million boost for agriculture

Business Reporter

GOVERNMENT has set aside US$30 million to fund agriculture, bringing to US$50 million the support given so far for the 2010-2011 summer cropping season.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti on Wednesday said the country already had US$20 million worth of inputs carried over from the last summer cropping season.

He said the country would be better prepared for the next farming season compared to last year when farmers encountered serious problems securing inputs.

However, despite the constraints in getting inputs last season, the agriculture sector is projected to grow by 18.8 percent leveraging on growth in tobacco output expected to hit 120 million kilogrammes this season.

The agricultural sector may record the second fastest growth rate, this year after the mining sector, which is expected to expand by a phenomenal 31 percent.

Last year, Government mobilised US$227 million in support of cereal production and local grain purchase with US$197 supporting A2 and A1 farmers.

Agriculture will this year expand leveraged by tobacco with 93 million kgs already delivered and good prices should see more land under tobacco next season. Prices this season have been averaging US$2.98 per kg. Support for cereal production last year resulted in an upturn in maize production, which registered a 3 percent increase to 1,3 million tonnes this year.

Despite US$20 million to support winter wheat production most farmers have been unwilling to invest in wheat due to uncertainty over power supplies. In the planting period to May only 10 000ha were put under wheat.

Wheat farmers have only collected a total of 84 tonnes of seed and 2 015 tonnes of compound D fertilizer provided by Government against available stocks of 720 tonnes of seed and 14 414 tonnes of compound D fertilizer.

The cotton industry produced only 176 000 tonnes of seed cotton down from 246 000 tonnes the previous season as farmers have opted out due to low prices. Cotton prices peaked at US30c per kg last year.

West eats humble pie over Zim diamonds

EDITOR — I am very delighted that sanity has prevailed and that Zimbabwe’s diamonds have been duly freed of the "blood" tag which the West and its allies so wanted, all in an effort to punish Zimbabwe.

The story that came from the World Diamond Council in St Petersburg, Russia, was a very happy one.

It is the consistency of Zimbabwe in telling the world the true story of the country, and its willingness to play by international rules that won the day.

Zimbabwe has dilligently followed the workplan agreed in Namibia last year and has co-operated fully with KP monitor Abbey Chikane, that’s why he gave the country a flying-colour pass mark on minimum requirements.

Zimbabwe had thus to sell its diamonds, and every well-meaning person knew it.

This was even evident at the Tel Aviv meeting, which the Anglo-Saxon axis ransomed a couple of weeks ago.

But this time it was not to be.

Good just cannot allow evil to conquer.

No amount of Western hate, intrigue, lying or other machinations can ever take away the legitimacy of our diamonds industry.

Neither can take away the resource itself, which remains ours and ours forever.

I urge the authorities to continue working hard in the field, what with the somewhat stringent conditions that have come with the WDC nod, to shame the devil.

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The Pan-African News Wire is an international electronic press service designed to foster intelligent discussion on the affairs of African people throughout the continent and the world. The press agency was founded in January of 1998 and has published thousands of articles and dispatches in newspapers, magazines, journals, research reports, blogs and websites throughout the world.
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PANW editor Abayomi Azikiwe is often solicited by various newspaper, radio and television stations for comment and analysis on local, national and world affairs. He serves as a political analyst for Press TV and RT worldwide satellite television news networks as well as other international media in the areas of African and world affairs. He has appeared on numerous television and radio networks including Al Jazeera, CCTV, BBC, NPR, Radio Netherlands, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, South Africa Radio 786, Belgian Pirate Radio, TVC Nigeria and others.